Part One: Video Library

1. Mission U.S.: For Crown or Colony

I found this multimedia/interactive learning video a few years ago in a social studies instruction course I took. It is called Mission U.S.: For Crown or Colony and can be found at PBS Learning Media. This particular game is set in 1770 in Boston at the time of the Boston Massacre. The student assumes the identity of Nate Wheeler, an apprentice to a printer. Nate is asked to complete a variety of tasks and navigates through the city during some critical events in the history of our country. There are other versions of this particular simulation that take students through other events in history. While this particular multimedia tool does not relate directly with reading instruction, it is safe to assume that reading definitely goes with social studies. I believe that if something like this particular games sparks an interest in a student, then he/she is more likely to become engaged to learn more through reading and research.

2. Book Reviews

Reading Rainbow is famous for book reviews. I found this particular video to show students an example of how to create their own book review via video. It’s not difficult or complicated and I know students will love sharing their book with the class in this method as opposed to the boring old book reports. This video can be found on Teacher Tube HERE.

3. School House Rocks

I don’t think there is anyone alive today that hasn’t learned something from School House Rock. I went to elementary school in the late 70’s to early 80’s and School House Rock was a scheduled part of our day. We joke that my own children are STILL learning from these fun videos and songs. Anytime a video is combined with a tune, we are just more likely to remember. This particular video is on nouns and can also be found on Teacher Tube HERE.

4. Preposition Sing Along

Once again, combine fun images with a catchy little tune and kids will remember what a preposition is! These are not easy things to remember, especially as an adult because we don’t classify our words in our everyday language. However, for an English language learner, these types of classifications help them to understand our complicated language just a little better. This video can be found at Teacher Tube HERE.

5. Reading Buddies

Reading buddies are a popular and fun thing that many schools implement. Younger students really look forward to and respond to students in an older grade as they work together. Pairing a struggling older reader with a fluent younger reader can benefit both students. I found this video (available for streaming only) at PBS Learning Media and can be viewed HERE. This particular video is part of the MARTHA SPEAKS Reading Buddies program. Students watch the video then the buddy pairs talk about the episode, play a Choose and Chat game, read a children’s book together, and write in their journal. This particular video is actually part of a larger series of Reading Buddies program offered on this website.

6. Interactive Story Predictions

“Ask Prunella” can also be found on PBS Learning Media HERE and is an interactive reading activity that allows students to predict and create their own story. This video can only be streamed online so Wi-Fi is an essential component in using most content from PBS Learning Media.

7. Historical Research: History Detectives

This might be one of the most exciting video learning tools I have seen yet and the possibilities that can go with it are endless. This video (available for streaming only) can be found at PBS Learning Media HERE and is more suitable for slightly older children (10+) due to some war violence. The premise of the video is best described on the website itself, “This video is set in the middle of the 19th century where a vast new territory from New Mexico to California invited settlers and homesteaders. As their wagon trains migrated from Missouri, along the Santa Fe Trail, they moved through the heart of Indian country and came under attack frequently. More than a century and a half after these violent events, “History Detectives” takes a closer look at an old paper that shows President Millard Fillmore engaged in what appears to be an unusual act for the time – sparing the life of a Native American convicted of murder. In the paper the President commutes the death sentence to life in prison for a solitary Native American named See-See-Sah-Mah, convicted of murdering a St. Louis trader along the Santa Fe Trail. Fillmore’s pardon saved See-See-Sah-Mah’s life, but why?”

I love this activity not only for the way it incorporates social studies and history into language arts, but also because of the way it keeps students engaged. For teachers, there is a vast amount of additional material to go along with this particular video to make it a full lesson plan. These ideas can be found under the “supported materials” “for teachers” section below the video.

8. Hatshepsut’s Mystery

In 6th grade, students are required to study ancient civilizations. When learning about ancient Egypt, perhaps it would be fun to watch the mystery of this female pharaoh during the New Kingdom in Egypt. 20 years after she died, someone smashed her statues, took a chisel and attempted to erase the pharaoh’s name and image from history. Who did it? And why? This video investigates Hatshepsut’s history for clues to this ancient puzzle. This video can be be found on TedEd HERE.

As most language arts lessons can, this particular lesson can easily span across history and social studies. I can easily this video becoming a springboard for a writing activity having students answer what they think happened to the pharaoh.

9. The Silk Road

Much like the previous video, this one is about the history of the 5,000-mile Silk Road, a network of multiple routes that used the common language of commerce to connect the world’s major settlements, thread by thread. This video can also be found on TedEd HERE along with some links to a full lesson plan for teachers. This would also be a great springboard for a variety of writing activities.

10. Immigrants

Because I am focussing my findings on langauge arts, I am always searching Scholastic.com for ideas. The teacher resource page has so many great ideas for integrating reading and writing into every subject area. One particular thing I found of interest, was a lesson full of short video clips on modern day immigrants HERE. When learning about immigrants, it would be a good idea to study Ellis Island HERE. While the Ellis Island tour does not really include videos, the interactive nature of the tour through this massive immigration port is priceless. Students can definitely connect immigrants of today with immgrants of the past. I can also envision this as a springboard for a variety of writing assignments from researching an ancestor that was an immigrant, comparing and contrasting immigrants of today vs. 100+ years ago, and so much more. Scholastic.com is full a wonderful tools for teachers, parents, and students.

11. Interactive Storybooks

No language arts/reading instruction list of video resources would be complete without some kind of interactive stories. I found this Clifford story at Scholastic.com HERE. I believe interactive stories are so valuable for struggling readers or ELL students. Modeling fluency and expression is a great way to help students work on their reading skills. Obviously there are never enough minutes in a day to do everything and reading to one individual student is usually a rarity. Thankfully, Scholastic.com has many different books to choose from that have activities to help tie in comprehension strategies after the story is read.

12. Book Trailer

This fun activity combines the aspect of a movie trailer with a book report. I love this idea because it gives students the opportunity to show their learning through a creative movie trailer. I found this particular book trailer on SchoolTube.com HERE.

Part Two: Video Enchanced Lesson Plan

Lesson Title

Student created book trailer (as adapted from ReadWriteThing.org)

Grade and Content Area

Grade 6 Reading & Language Arts

Introduction

Students will combine the aspects of a movie trailer with a book report to create a video advertisement for the book they chose to read. The students will read a book of their choice then write a script for their own trailer. Students will find images or video clips online to help them illustrate the key points of their book trailer. Students will add text, narration, and music as well as any digital movie effects they think will help their video. Last, the students will share their final production with the class.

Student Learning Objectives

Identify the elements of a comprehensive book report.

Create a video book trailer to be viewed by the class

Follow the guidelines on the rubric

Relative Advantage

Aside from all of the standards that this project meets, this particular activity not only gets a student to read but also engages them in the creative process of creating a book trailer. This particular activity is definitely at the top end of Bloom’s higher order thinking skills as it allows students to plan and produce a book trailer. Every level of Bloom’s taxonomy is addressed in this activity (Heer, R. n.d.).

English Language Arts Standards. Grade 6

Standard: 6.LA.2.1.3. – The student will be able to make inferences, draw conclusions and form opinions based on information gathered from text and cite evidence to support.

Standard: 6.LA.2.2.3. – The student will be able to identify the facts and details that support the author’s argument and summarize the findings.

Standard: 6.LA.4.4.1. – The student will be able to write a response that identifies a text to self, text to world, and/or text to text connection.

Standard: 6.LA.6.2.6. – The student will be able to deliver oral responses to literature that develop an interpretation that shows careful reading, understanding, and insight.

Standard: RL.6.2. – Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

Standard: RL.6.10. – By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Standard: W.6.6. – Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.

Materials

Grouping Strategies

Students will complete this activity independently during their computer lab time or as needed on the classroom computers. Ipad’s may also be used.

Lesson Description

Choose a book to read. This lesson can be given at the beginning of a term and then again when book trailers are due as a review). Give students the book review template and instruct to make notes as they read the book. Give students the rubric and assist them in making notes on what will be expected. The rubric should be revisited multiple times throughout the term to avoid misconceptions or communication errors.

Discuss the purpose of a book trailer: Give students a chance to and help other people discover books they might love.

Talk about the information they would typically share when recommending a good book to a friend.

Give the students the trailer checklist and have them mark it as they view the examples below. Discuss what things are good to have in a book trailer (add to this list after viewing each of the examples below).

Tell about the book: Introduce the main characters and some key events of the story without telling every detail.

Tell about your favorite part of the book or make a connection: Persuade your audience to read the book and leaves them wanting to know more. For example, explain what the main character has to overcome but don’t tell if he/she is successful.

Give a recommendation: Provides closure for the book trailer. It also helps match the perfect reader for the book.

Keep it short and concise, your goal is to encourage others to want to read the book!

Explain any deadlines or special instructions you have for the assignment (rubric).

The teacher will check in periodically through the term for progress. 2 weeks before the due date, students will be given time in the computer lab to create their finished product. Timing will depend on the teacher but time does need to be allowed for the writing of the script and image collection portion of this project.

Assessment

The book trailer video will be the final assessment for this activity. Trailers will be graded on a rubric established by the teacher prior to activity and give to students at the beginning and end of the project.

Adaptations for Learners with Special Needs

To accommodate struggling readers or ELL students, make this a small-group activity. Have the group read the book together and then create the video trailer together with help from the small-group instructor.

I worked in an elementary school setting with a variety of educators. Some had high digital literacy skills while others barely managed to turn on their computer and read email. With an overworked I.T. director who had to maintain the network and computers for 3 schools (roughly 3,000 students), I witnessed a lot of ignorance on the part of teachers, and bullying on the part of the I.T. director.

Several teachers would fail to even try to troubleshoot simple problems or ask for assistance from other teachers. Their first response was to put a “ticket into the queue” for the I.T. director. Often times the problems were menial but took valuable time from our director. The conflicts between the director and other teachers became a hostile environment and I heard her comment to a teacher that her problem was an “ID-10-T” error and that she would get to the problem when she could. I happened to be married to an I.T. professional and I know that an “ID-10-T” error is commonly referred to as an “Idiot error.” Or another rude response is, “there is a short somewhere between the chair and keyboard.” These demeaning comments, while not all understood, are bullying.

I decided to gear this presentation around a short 10-minute tutorial video complete with a simple quiz at the end. I firmly believe that a little understanding and knowledge can go a long way when it comes to relationships across the faculty. Perhaps if teachers are aware of what a network is and how it works, maybe they will think twice before they call the I.T. director to fix everything. Perhaps knowing that every network has a maximum capacity and that bandwidth has its own limitations can soften a lot of frustrated hearts. Maybe, just maybe, protecting their devices from viruses outside of the school safety network, they can dodge a few avoidable mishaps.

Instead of encroaching on a teacher’s valuable and limited time by presenting this at another “meeting” (although that would be acceptable as well), I created this to be used anytime it was convenient, even at home if necessary.

My goal is to have a better working relationship between teachers and the I.T. professionals who work in the school. Feigning ignorance is really unacceptable in today’s educational environment and we owe it to our students to at least attempt to stay knowledgeable when it comes to technology. Burying heads in the sand or passing the buck does a great disservice to the students. Likewise, treating others rudely because of ignorance is unacceptable as well.

Note to teachers about this short video presentation:

This presentation was created to simplify some basic information technology terms and to educate you in the workings of our school’s network. Every person, students and teachers, has a responsibility to keep our network free of viruses and protect us from inappropriate material. It is important to understand that the network does have a maximum capacity and there are ways to avoid frustration with it. By working together as colleagues, we can have a great experience in taking care of our digital information and the equipment we rely on everyday.

Some notes/suggestions about this presentation:

Have a pencil and paper ready to take notes and for the quiz at the end.

Consider having your finger ready on the pause button if you feel the slides move too quickly.

The music can be muted if it is too irritating.

Relax and enjoy these next 11 minutes. You’ll be back to your regularly scheduled activities in no time at all.

This video presentation is very acceptable and valuable to students in grades 4 and up. Use it in your classroom if you would like.

References

Godwin, W. (2009, June 18). What is Wifi & How Does Wifi Work in Plain English. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from http://youtu.be/Egxq00V0b1Y